Apparatus for making control cards

ABSTRACT

A machine is operated cyclically to apply control elements, especially staples, in successive columns of a control card at various positions in the respective columns, to represent analog input signals. Columns can be skipped automatically. The card is adjusted along any given column in relation to the stapling head by an AC servosystem that compares the peaks of an AC feedback signal to the peaks of each AC input signal whose value is to be represented by the position of the control element along the column.

United States Patent George C. Izenour 10 Alston Ave., New Haven, Conn.; William B. Zimmerman, Clinton, Wash. Appl. No. 880,606

Filed Nov. 28, 1969 Patented 0 c t 5, 1971 l Assignee said Izenour, by said Zimmerman Inventors APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONTROL CARDS 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 346/29, 227/100, 346/134, 346/145, 227/156 Int. Cl G0ld 9/40 Field of Search 277/1, 2, 3,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,019,072 l/1962 Bose et al. 346/29 3,060,347 10/1962 Burski 315/316 3,221,214 11/1965 Wolffetal... 315/316X 3,178,715 4/1965 Demko 346/29 Primary Examiner-Joseph W. Harta Attorney-Paul S. Martin 7 ABSTRACT: A machine is operated cyclically to applycontrol elements, especially staples, in successive columns of a control card at various positions in the respective columns, to represent analog input signals. Columns can be skipped automatically. The card is adjusted along any given column in relation to the stapling head by an AC servosystem that compares the peaks of an AC feedback signal to the peaks of each AC input signal whose value is to be represented by the position of the control element along the column.

/Z4 I I" PATENTED UN 5 I971 sumenrs flir- 50mari/J INVENTOR.

7610/5 law Afro/PM? APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONTROL CARDS The present invention relates to apparatus for making control cards for use in card-controlled apparatus.

An object of this invention resides in providing apparatus for providing a card with plural control elements in respective columns of the card, where each control element is located in its column at a position that represents the magnitude of a signal voltage.

In concept, the control elements may be in any form appropriate to the apparatus to be controlled. For example, the control elements may be magnetically or photoelectrically sensed spots, or they may be electrically or pneumatically sensed spots, or they may be electrically or pneumatically sensed perforations. Of particular importance herein, the control elements are wire stitches or staples.

Each control element is located at a position in its column that is the analog of the signal magnitude it represents. Control cards of this form are useful in various applications, for example in controlling theater lighting as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,060,347, issued Oct. 23, 1962, where plural columns of a card are allocated to controlling respective lights. Successive cards are used to control the lighting effects of successive scenes or parts of a scene.

Additional objects of the invention reside in providing automatic apparatus having a means for locating a card and a control-element-applying head in relation to each other to select a card column and for coordinately selecting an input signal that is to be represented in that column; in providing apparatus of this kind where the card and the control-element-applying head are adjusted in relation to each other to locate the control element at a position in a column of the card that represents the signal magnitude; to apparatus of this kind in which plural signals are selected successively to control the application of control elements in successive columns but where any given column is skipped automatically in case the signal magnitude should be less than a prescribed minimum significant level; to apparatus of this kind capable of responding to available signals in the fonn of altemating-current voltages or rectified alternating current voltages; and to apparatus of this kind having new and uniquely effective servo controls for the relative positioning of the control-element-applying head and a card, along a column of the card.

The presently preferred apparatus embodying the various aspects of the invention is described in detail below and shown in the annexed drawings. In that apparatus, a card-holding frame is moved step by step in relation to the head of a wirestitching machine, to advance successive columns of the card into alignment with the head. A selector switch is coordinately advanced to select successive signals to be represented in the respective columns of the card. At each column selection, the card frame is adjusted by servocontrolled means to an analog position that represents the signal magnitude.

The servocontrol circuit in the illustrative apparatus responds to peak values of input alternating-current voltages or rectified altemating-current wave trains, by providing a like voltage to a feedback potentiometer that is coupled to the card-holding frame so as to represent the relative adjustment of the wire stitching head along the card column, and the feedback signal is compared with the selected input signal in a series-opposition circuit where the difi'erence between the signals is applied to a peak-responsive null detector. This null detector has two solid-state switching devices that are switched on and off at different levels of control signal; these switching devices are arranged so that they are switched oil at slightly different control voltages; and the circuit represents null when the peak-differences are between these slightly differcnt voltages such that one of the solid-state devices has been switched off at a time that the other has not been switched off. Notably, the null detector does not respond to conditions between the peaks of the signal difference, and thus, even where half-wave-rectified signals are spaced apart by zero-level signal intervals which would constitute a null in conventional null-detecting circuits, no such result occurs here. This makes possible a direct comparison between two like signals of intermittent waveform. The null detector has the additional feature of having both of its solid-state devices conditioned alike (both on or both off) by an applied signal, just before each new input signal is to be applied. This avoids a possible inaccuracy due to a chance condition of a new signal level being between the on-and-off switching levels of the switching devices.

There are many columns in a card in the described embodiment of the invention, and speed is sometimes important in completing cards having a large number of control columns. Thus, when the lights for part of a scene in a play have been set manually in a rehearsal, the card to be used later in automatic lighting control should be made quickly so that the rehearsal can proceed. Many and perhaps most of the available stage lights may be turned off in any given scene. For those lights, it columns not necessary to apply a control element. Time would be wasted in executing servo adjustments when the columns corresponding to such lights are aligned with the wire-stitching head. The illustrative apparatus described below saves time in making control cards, by skipping those columns automatically.

The invention has various aspects as has already been indicated, and its novel features may assume a variety of forms in varied applications.

However, the foregoing and other objects of the invention and all its novel features and advantages will perhaps be understood and appreciated best in the light of the following detailed description of the presently preferred illustrative embodiment which is shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary drawing of a control card bearing control elements as located and applied by apparatus in FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view, partly in cross section, illustrating the use of the control card of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic lateral elevation of apparatus forming part of the illustrative embodiment of the invention, viewed in cross section at plane 3-3 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus in FIG. 3; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are two parts of a wiring diagram for controlling the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4 and forming part of the illustrative embodiment of the invention in its various aspects.

Referring now to the drawings, control card 0 is divided into 60 numbered columns extending horizontally as shown in FIG. 1. Control elements in the form of wire stitches or staples S are applied to some of the columns at various places in the column. The staples represent a signal magnitude whose value can be read on the scale of zero to 10 crossing the column lines. Each staple also serves as a control element in cardreading apparatus, an elemental part of which is shown in FIG. 2. In that Figure, card 0 with a staple S is shown assembled to an elongated resistor R at one side of the card, and an elongated wire-brush contact W at its opposite side. Resistor R can be formed of bare resistance wire wound around a strip of insulation that extends along a column of a card 0. The assembly of FIG. 2 thus forms a potentiometer having terminal connections 1 and II and an output terminal 0. When a fixed voltage is applied to terminals I and II, a control voltage is available across terminals 1 and 0. As many resistors R and as many contacts W can be used as there are card columns to be sensed, providing concurrent control voltages for a corresponding number of circuits. The foregoing does not form any part of the invention, but provides an illustration of the control card to be made, and of its utility.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 there is shown in a simplified and somewhat diagrammatic form, apparatus for applying wire stitches S in successive columns of a card 0, at various positions along those columns. This apparatus includes a cyclically operable wire stitcher or a stapler 10 having an anvil or clincher 10a that is opposite a conventional stitch-applying or stapling head 1017.. In routine operation of the apparatus, clincher 10a is maintained in a projected position to rest against card c by energizing clincher solenoid 47 which erects toggle 10c. Retracting springs (not shown) restore the clincher to the position shown in FIG. 3 when solenoid 47 is not energized.

A continuously running motor (not shown) provides driving power for operating head 10b. For this purpose, stitch solenoid 48 is energized to activate a single-revolution clutch 10d and thereby cause crank 10c to oscillate arm 10f once each time solenoid 48 is energized. Provided clincher 10a is extended, head 10b on arm 10f drives a wire stitch into card each time solenoid 48 is energized.

Card c is supported in grooves in a frame 12a. The card is inserted from the left in FIG. 4, and when in the frame, the area of the card occupied by the columns 1-60, from 0 to of the columns, is exposed for cooperation with clincher 10a and wire stitching head 10b. Card-holding frame 12a is slidable right-to-left in FIG. 4 in advancing the card from what may be called the Out" position when column No. 1 is aligned with head 10b, to the In position when column No. 60 is aligned with head 10b. Indexing motor 49 is mounted on frame 12b. Motor 49 rotates pinion 49a that is in mesh with rack 49b secured to frame 12a. Motor 49 acting through pinion 49a and rack 49b can be operated to move the card so that columns Nos. 1 through 60 are advanced successively into alignment with wire stitching head 10b.

An input selector switch 103 is mounted on frame 12b. Switch 103 includes a common slide contact 103a and a row of 60 selector contacts 103b, one for each column of the card. Contacts l03b are distributed at locations spaced in accordance with the columns of the card 0. The space from one location to the next is the same as the extent that frame 12a moves for making a one-column advance of the card. Wires (not shown) extend from contacts 103b to external voltage sources to be represented by wire stitches S. Frame 12a carries a bridging contact 109 forming par of selector switch 103. Contact 109 connects common slide contact 103a to a selected contact 13b as determined by the position of frame 12a in frame 12b.

An In limit switch 44 is mounted on frame 12b and is operated by projection 44a on frame 120 immediately after a card is advanced past the No. 60 column position. An Out limit switch 45 on frame 12b is operated by a projection 45a on frame 12a when the frame is positioned so that the card has its No. 1 column aligned with head 10b.

A stationary frame 12c surrounds frame 12b. Rods 12d extend across frame 120 parallel to the card columns and perpendicular to the slide guide of frame 12a in frame 12b. Rods 12d form guides for slide bearings [22. Scale motor 50 is mounted on frame 12c. pinion 50a on motor 50 meshes with rack 50b extending across frame 12b. Operation of motor 50 causes any column of card c to be adjusted along its length in relation to wire-stitching head 10b. Feedback potentiometer 51 is operated coordinately with frame 12b, and provides output that represents the position of head 10b along any given column of the card.

From the foregoing it is apparent that card-holding frame 12a can be moved to the extreme left in FIG. 4 to position the No. 1 column of the card opposite head10b. Clinch solenoid 49 is energized and clincher or anvil 10a is set in its advanced position where it remains until the last column has passed head 10b. Scale motor 50 adjusts the card to the right position in relation to head 10b in accordance with the input voltage selected by switch 103. Then stitch solenoid 48 is energized to drive and set a wire stitch at the adjusted part of a selected card column. Cycling of the wire stitcher activates a circuit to cause advance motor 49 to step the card holding frame 12a ahead one column width, and to advance bridging contact 109 ahead for connecting the next contact l03b to common contact 103a.

In FIG. 5, units 105 represent a succession of voltage sources whose values are to be recorded. In a specific case of practical importance, the voltages are half-wave-rectified alternating-current signals. The O-position switch 103 has its selector contacts 1031) connected by flexible wiring to voltage sources 105.

Altemating-current input at terminals 1, 2 is impressed on autotransformer 3 whose adjustable output tap energizes wire 5 via half-wave rectifier 4. Potentiometers 51 and 52 are connected between wire 5 and neutral 2a. The collector of transistor 125 is connected to wire 5. The emitter of this transistor is connected to resistor 126, which is connected in turn to neutral 2a; and the transistor base is connected to the selector contact 124 of switch 122. Normally closed contacts 124-121 connect a selected voltage source between the transistor base and neutral, the emitter-retum line 20. The collector of transistor 125 has the rectified half-wave energization that is provided at line 5. Transistor 125, as described, is connected in common collector configuration, sometimes called an emitter-follower, so that the value of voltage impressed on its base is reproduced at its emitter. Here, the halfwave collector energization is in phase with the half-wave signals from sources 105 applied to the transistor base, and sources 105 do not exceed the collector voltage. As a result, the signal impressed on the transistor base appears across resistor 126 as a series of half-waves that are essentially equal to the input-wave amplitude.

Choppers 128 and 130 are reed relays, for example. These relays are energized 'by the altemating-current line 1, 2 through series-connected capacitor 132 and resistor 131, and through diode rectifier 133 that blocks alternate half-waves. As a result, the relays are energized by a series of line-frequency pulses. Capacitor 132 and resistor 131 phase-shift the AC to synchronize the contact-closure of the relays with the halfwaves of the signal pulses at the relay contacts. A dummy-load resistor 134 prevents buildup of a direct current charge on capacitor 132.

When relay 128 is not energized, its common contact 1280 engages contact 129 which is connected to the emitter of transistor 125, and to the negative line 108 of a direct current supply 107. When relay 128 is energized, common contact 128a is connected to the slide contact 99 of linear feedback potentiometer 51. The position of slide 99 represents the position of the card along any one column of the card in relation to the stitching head 10b. A signal thus develops between relay contact 127 and the negative line 108 that is the difference between the signal across resistor 126 representing the quantity to be recorded and the signal representing the location of the stitching head in a column of the card. This difference signal is impressed on the input of two channels A and B that control relays 56 and 57.

In channel A, a series circuit comprising resistor 71 and capacitor 136 is connected between relay contact 128a and negative line 108. The junction of resistor 71 and capacitor 136 is connected to the gate of a silicon-controlled switch (SCS) 65. The cathode of the SCS is connected to negative line 108. Resistor 71 limits the gate current, and the series resistor-capacitor circuit 71, 136 acts as a transient or noise filter. Resistor 68 is connected between positive line 106 of direct current supply 107 and the anode of SCS 65, and resistor 60 is connected between this anode and the base of transistor 59. The emitter of transistor 59 is connected to negative line 108. Relay 56 has its winding connected between the collector of transistor 59 and the positive line 106.

SCS 65 becomes conducting whenever its gate has a signal of plus 0.6 volts or higher (for one type of SCS), and it remains conducting until its gate signal becomes at least [.0 volt negative. The cutoff voltage value is controlled largely by the value of resistor 68, lower resistance values requiring larger negative voltages. So long as SCS 65 remains conducting, transistor 59 is efi'ectively switched off and relay 56 is deenergized. When SCS 65 is switched off, current reaches the base of transistor 59 through resistors 60 and 68, and relay 56 is energized by transistor 69.

The silicon-controlled switch 65 (and others like it) is responsive to the signal peaks applied to its gate and hence control of the SCS results from a comparison of the peak value of the pulses from potentiometer 51 and from the selected source 105.

Channels B and C have the same circuit as channel A, and they operate in the same manner. However, resistor 69 is set to establish a cutoff voltage for SCS 66 at minus 0.5 volt.

Channels A and B are provided for controlling the operation and direction of scale motor 50. This motor adjusts the relative position of frame 12b and head b, and it operates potentiometer 51. Channels A and B control motor 50 so as to develop a null between the voltage at potentiometer terminal 99 and the voltage across resistor 126. Motor-energizing pulses are supplied to contact 88 of relay 56 through a circuit to be described. When relay 56 is energized, pulses are applied to relay contact 90, and cause operation of motor 50 in one direction. When relay 56 is not energized, pulses to relay contact 89 cause reverse operation of motor 50.

Motor 50 is arrange d to operate slide contact 99 of the scale potentiometer 51 in the direction to achieve a null. The null condition is that which is in effect when the voltage peaks at relay contact 128a are in the range of 1.0 volt and 0.5 volt. When this occurs, pulses to motor 50 are interrupted. The motor-controlling circuit includes a relay 17 (FIG. 6) to be described, which is energized only (1) when relay 56 is deenergized and (2) when relay 57 is energized. The energizing circuit for null-indicating relay 17 extends through normally closed contacts 94 and 96 of relay 56 and contacts 92 and 95 (when closed) of relay 57 to the positive terminal of supply 107. Relay 17 has a return connection to the negative terminal of supply 107.

It may be considered that the signal at the input to channels A and B is a train of positive voltage pulses of large value representing the difference between the input and feedback signals. This turns on SCS 65 and SCS 66, and relays 56 and 57 are both deenergized. As a result of this condition, pulses to energize motor 50 are applied by relay contacts 88 and 89, causing operation of motor 50 in the direction to achieve a null. When the input pulse peaks are reduced to zero and then become negative, SCS 66 is cut off at 0.5 volts, and relay 57 is energized. This completes the circuit through relay contact pairs 95-92 for energizing relay 17 to interrupt the operation of scale motor 50. Correspondingly, if there is a large negative value of difference-signal pulse input to channels A and B, both SCS 65 and SCS 66 are switched off, transistors 59 and 6| conduct, and both relays 56 and 57 are energized. Energizing pulses supplied to motor 50 via reverse-drive relay contacts 88-90 cause the scale motor 50 to reduce the negative voltage input to channels A and B, and then to exceed plus 0.6 volt. This causes both SCS's to switch on, deenergizing both relays 56 and 57 and reversing motor 50. When the voltage again drops below -0.5 but not below 1 .0, relay 57 is energized and relay 56 remains deenergized. Once again the control circuit to null-indicating drive-interrupting relay 17 is completed via contact pairs 92-95 and 94-96.

As has been demonstrated, a null-seeking servocontrol system for motor 50 is provided, including feedback potentiometer 51, channels A and B and relay 17. Channel A includes the direction-controlling relay contacts 88, 89 and 90. The null technically occurs when there is an actual difference of between 0.5 and l.0 volt between the feedback signal and the input signal. This actual difi'erence can be eliminated or compensated by a suitable offset adjustment somewhere in the servosystem. However, achieving null depends on a finite difference between the signals being compared, and this gives this unique result: Half-wave input signals may be compared with half-wave-rectified altemating-current feedback signals where there are intervals of zero signal amplitude between the half-waves and yet this servocontrol does not mistake the zero-level intervals between signal pulses as a null signal. Further, a decisive null indication is provided when there is an affirmative difference-signal level, where the difference signal is in the narrow range between O.5 and -l .0 volt.

The operation of channels A and B as thus described results in scale potentiometer 51 being adjusted to achieve a null, matching the signal from the voltage source 105 with the feedback voltage at slide 99 of potentiometer 51. When this occurs, the stitching head has been adjusted to be over the right part of the selected column of the card for applying a stitch at an analog position representing the voltage of the selected source 105. The stitching head operates automatically (as will be described) and causes advance of the card carrier to the next column and coordinately causes advance of bridging contact 109 to the next contact 103b to select the next voltage source 105. The process of seeking a null is then repeated.

Any number of voltage sources 105 may happen to be zero, in which case there is no need to insert a stitch. Channel C responds to this condition, to cause an automatic columnskipping operation, to advance to the next card column and the next voltage source 105 The skip function is controlled by a comparison of a threshold voltage with the signal voltage from the selected source 105 as represented by the voltage across emitter resistor 126. A threshold-setting potentiometer 52 has its slide contact 53 connected to the normally open contact 131 of chopper 130. The setting of slide contact 53 selects the threshold. When chopper contacts 13011-131 close, the difference between the signals of resistor 126 and slide 53 is applied to the gate of SCS 67. If the difference is sufficiently negative (indicating that the selected source 105 is less than the negative voltage of the threshold potentiometer) transistor 63 becomes conducting and relay 58 is energized. This accomplishes two functions. First, the normally closed relay contact pair 86-87 open and interrupt the operating-pulse circuit to contact 88 and to scale motor 50. In this way, idle operation of the scale motor is avoided. Second, contact pair 109-110 closes and completes a circuit from a IO-cycle-per-second pulse generator 112 to the column-advance control circuit to be described. This pennits rapid indexing from one column to the next in case no wire stitches are needed in those columns, representing a saving of possibly critical time.

As each new column of the card is advanced into position under the wire-stitching head, the described skipping circuit tests the voltage source 105 that is newly selected by bridging contact 109. Where the voltage is below the threshold level established by potentiometer 52, an automatic advance occurs to the next card column and the next voltage source.

Channels A and B in the null detection part of the servo system involve two different levels, one in the narrow range of 0.5 tol .0 volt, and another at 0.6 volt positive. When a null has been attained, SCS 66 is off and SCS 65 is conducting. By chance, the next input signal might be such as to yield a difference signal of between 1.0 volt and plus 0.6 volt. Such a signal might be accepted by the null detector as a null, representing an error. This is avoided here by causing both SCS 65 and SCS 66 to be on or to be off as each new input signal source 105 comes into effect. This is achieved by causing head 10b to act (incidental to a wire-stitching operation) for closing contacts 124, 123 and thereby switching the base of transistor 125 to its pulsetrain collector potential. This is a higher potential than any than any source 105. Consequently SCS 65 and SCS 66 are both off before each new input signal source becomes effective, and a null is then attained only in the narrow range between O.S and 1.0 volt.

The circuit of FIG. 5 receives pulses at relay contact 86 for energizing scale motor 50, and it provides controlled direct current output at relay contact 96 for null-indicating relay 17 (FIG. 6) and it provides a controlled l0-I-Iz. voltage output at relay contact to operate relay 18 (FIG. 6). As indicated in FIG. 5, the input and output connections extend to specified components shown in FIG. 6.

Four relays are shown in FIG. 6.

Relay 26 is a latching relay. It includes three moving contacts 27, 28 and 29 for switching the index motor 49 between stepwise forward rotation used for advancing the card holder from one column to the next, and continuous reverse rotation used for returning the cardholder to the starting position.

Relay 26 also includes three moving contacts 31, 33 and 33a breaks the circuit that supplies pulses to scale motor 50; (b) contact 33 deenergizes clinch solenoid 47 so as to retract clincher or anvil 10a from the card; and (c) contact 33a breaks the circuit to stitch solenoid 48 so that the stitcher is disabled during the return travel of card-holding frame 12a.

Relay 17 is energized only when the circuit of FIG. involves a null, that is, when channel A leaves relay 56 deenergized while channel B causes relay 57 to be energized. When relay 17 is energized, it interrupts the supply of pulses to scale motor 50 and thereby causes the cardholder to remain in the null-adjusted position under the stitching head; and when energized, relay 17 also energizes clutch solenoid 48 to activate the drive of the wire stitcher by its continuously running motor.

Relay 18 is energized under control of skip-function channel C of FIG. 5 to cause the card holding frame 12a to advance one column and to advance bridging contact 109 of selector switch 103 from one contact 10312 to the next.

Relay 43 provides a number of interlock functions when it is energized. This occurs when the card-holding frame 12a is in the Out" position, where a finished card is removed and a new, blank card is inserted. When relay 43 is energized, (a) contact 37 breaks the circuit that supplies operating pulses to scale motor 50; (b) contact 35 deenergizes cinch solenoid 47 to be sure that clincher or anvil 10a is retracted from the plane of the card to allow easy removal of one card and insertion of another; (c) contact 42 breaks the circuit that energizes stitch solenoid 48 and thereby locks the wire stitcher against operation; and (d) contact 40 disconnects the skip-function contact 21 from the one-step-advance circuit of index motor 49 and at the same time contact 40 applies a locking DC voltage to motor 49.

Index motor 49 (as well as scale motor 50) in the illustrative apparatus shown is a stepping motor of the type in Re. U.S. Pat. No. 25,445 granted Sept. 17, 1963, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,077,555 granted Feb. 12, 1963. When card-holding frame 120 reaches its extreme ln" position after completing the 60- column advance of the card-holding frame, limit switch 44 is closed and energizes coil 1 19a of latching relay 26. The moving contacts of this relay then assume the positions shown in FIG. 6, and they remain in that position after limit switch 44 opens and coil 1190 is deenergized. In this condition, altemating current input form line 1', 2 is applied to contacts 28 and 29 of the stepping motor 49 while line 2' is connected to motor contact 29 through the phase-shifting circuit consisting of resistor 16 and capacitor in series. (Terminals 1 and 2 are connected to terminals 1 and 2 of FIG. 5.). This causes motor 49 to step along at relatively high speed, where conventional 601-12. alternating current is supplied to terminals 1, 2'. This causes the card-holding frame 120 to travel rapidly to the Out" limit, whereupon limit switch 45 is closed and coil 119 of the latching relay 26 is energized. This causes the positions of the moving contacts to reverse, assuming positions opposite to those shown in FIG. 6. When coil 119 is deenergized, the contacts remain in the reversed position. Reversal of contacts 27, 28 and 29 disconnects 60-112. power from motor 49, stopping rotation promptly.

During the retum-travel of card-holding frame 12a toward the "Out" position, contacts 31, 33 and 33a are open, parted from companion contacts 30, 32 and 320, respectively. Contact 31 interrupts a circuit that supplies energizing pulses to scale motor 50. This circuit may be traced from pulse generator 50a (which may be a local pulse source up to l00 Hz. through normally closed contacts 22, 24 of null-indicating relay 17, through normally closed contacts 36, 37 of relay 43, to moving contact 31 of relay 26. Contacts 30, 31 are open at this time, cutting the remainder of the circuit to motor 50 including contact 86 of relay 58, and contact pair 88, 89 or 88, 90 to motor 50. During the return travel of the card-holding frame 12a, contacts 32, 33 are open and interrupt a direct current energizing circuit to clinch solenoid 47 via contacts 34, 35 of relay 43. As a result, clincher or anvil 10a is retracted from the card face, and cannot bump against inserted wire stitches as the card is withdrawn to the Out" position. Finally, with relay contacts 32a, 33a parted as they are during the fast retraction of card-holding frame 12a, there is no possibility of direct current energization of stitch solenoid 48. The energizing circuit for stitch solenoid 48 extends from a positive DC terminal connected to contact 32a, 33:: contact pair 41, 42; and a solenoid-control switch 138, to solenoid 48. Opening of contact pair 32a, 33a interrupts this circuit and prevents the wire stitcherfrom operating.

When motor 49 drives card-holding frame 120 to the Out" position, limit-switch contacts 45 close and coil 119 of the latching relay 26 is energized. The moving contacts of relay 26 are reversed and they remain reversed (as compared to the positions shown). The alternating current supply to motor 49 is interrupted, and the moving contacts 31, 33 and 33a close so that thereafter relay 26 does not disable the scale-pulse supply for scale motor 50, or the clinch solenoid circuit, or the stitch solenoid 48. However, those interlock circuits remain open at this time. A manual start switch 118 is normally closed, and when limit switch 45 closes, an energizing current is supplied to relay 43. This shifts contacts 37, 35, 42 and 40 away from the positions shown and (a) interrupts the pulseenergizing circuit from pulse generator 50a to motor 50 described above; (b) deenergizes clinch solenoid 47; (c) interrupts the circuit to stitch solenoid 48; and (d) interrupts the connection to skip-function relay contact 21. Relay 43 closes contacts 39, 40 when energized. This applies direct current potential to motor 49, in a circuit extending from direct current supply terminal 20a, via contact pair 39, 40, through normally closed contacts of single-pole double-throw advance switch 46, to motor contact 29 (reversed at this time). This has the effect of locking motor 49, and positively holding card-holding frame 12a in its Out" or first-column position.

It may be assumed that a new card has been inserted and that the apparatus is otherwise ready to be operated. Switch 118 is manually depressed. Relay 43 is deenergized. Clinch solenoid 47 is energized, and all other previously locked-out circuits are completed. The scale motor 50 can be energized as required. Stitch solenoid 48 can be energized in response to detection of a null or, if the skip-function channel 0 responds to a subthreshold signal condition, relay 18 becomes effective to supply an indexing pulse to motor 49. The effect is to advance the cardholder away from limit switch 45, thus deenergizing relay 43 and instituting automatic operation of the apparatus. Switch 118 is then released.

A typical operation of the apparatus in response to an input signal from an input signal source 105 selected by bridging contact 109 is as follows: The input signal appears across resistor 126. A feedback signal from slide contact 99 of potentiometer 51 (FIGS. 4 and 5) is connected series-opposed to the signal across resistor 126. Both are half-wave signals of the same phase and frequency. Their difference is impressed on the gates of both SCS 65 and SCS 66. If the difference of the signal peaks is more negative than ---1 .0 volt, both SCS 65 and SCS 66 are switched off, both transistors 59 and 61 become conductive, and relays 56 and 57 are energized. Operating pulses for scale motor 50 are supplied by pulse generator 50a via contacts 22, 24 of null relay 17, closed contacts 36, 37 of relay 43, closed contacts 30, 31 of latching relay 26, closed contacts 86, 87 of relay 58 in channel c, and closed contacts 88, of relay 56. Motor 50 adjusts the outer guide frame 12): and thereby adjusts card-holding frame 12a along a column of the card in relation to wire-stitching head 10b, and correspondingly adjusts potentiometer 51 in the direction to reduce the signal. When the changing signal-difference at the gates of SCS 65 and SCS 66 rises above 0.6 volts positive, both are switched on and both relays 56 and 57 become deenergized. The motor-operating pulses at relay contact 88 are thereafter applied to contact 89 and the operation of motor 50 reverses, also reversing the travel of frame 12a along a column of the card and reversing the adjustment of feedback potentiometer 51. The SCSs remain switched on between the applied signal peaks, thus being notably insensitive to and unaffected by the gaps in time between the half wave signal pulses. The input signal-peaks at the SCS gates then drop to zero momentarily and reverse, to exceed minus 0.5 volt but not minus 1.0 volt. At this time, relay 56 is deenergized and relay 57 is energized, so that the null relay 17 (FIG. 6) is energized and energization of motor 50 ceases. It is a stepping-motor-like motor 49, so it stops promptly without overtravel.

If the signal-peak difference were initially positive, more positive than 0.6 volt, both SCS 65 and SCS 66 would be switched on initially, and the adjustment would approach the null condition (between 0.5 and 1.0 volt) directly. Once null relay 17 is energized, motor 50 stops and holds its adjustment and the adjustment of the card along a card column in relation to wire-stitching head 10b. When null relay'l7 is energized, contacts 23, 25 close and supply direct current energization to stitch solenoid 48. This is a solenoid that activates a one-revolution clutch so that a single stitch-applying cycle of unit 10 takes place. Switch 138 forms part of the wire stitcher. It opens after the clutch is operative, and does not close until the stitching head has returned to the starting position. Near the end of the wire-stitcher cycle, when head 10b has been withdrawn, a suitable cam (not shown) in the one-revolution drive momentarily reverses Advance switch 46. The common or moving contact of this switch shifts from positive to negative (from terminal 20a of a direct current supply to terminal 19a) and then the reverse. This causes motor 49 to advance the card-holding frame one column width. At the same time, the input signal selector 103 advances the input connection to the next input signal source 105.

if the new input signal is above the threshold established by potentiometer 2, the foregoing cycle repeats.

There is a possibility of the next signal 105 producing a signal-peak difference that happens to be initially between 0.6 volt positive and 0.5 volt negative. The condition of SCS 65 being switched on and SCS 66 being switched off at the end of the previous-column adjustment would resemble the defined null condition but would involve an error that may be significant. To avoid any such occurrence, a suitable coupling from head b to switch contact 124 (FIG. 5) can shift that switch from an input signal source 105 to the maximum signal peaks appearing on line 5. This insures both SCS 65 and SCS 66 being switched on or both being switched ofi, depending on the polarity of the half-wave signal waves. Thereafter the proper null condition will be reached as described, when the input difference signal peaks are in the narrow range of 0.5 to l .0 volt.

The next signal source 105 selected by switch 103 may be below the established threshold level, so that a skip cycle is called for. When this occurs, the signal-peak difference switches off SCS 67 of channel C and skip relay 58 is energized. When that occurs, relay contacts 86, 87 open so that scale motor 50 does not receive operating pulses, and relay contacts 109, l 10 close. This applies a pulse from 10-Hz. multivibrator 112 to relay 18 whose contact 21 shifts from positive to negative terminals, and the reverse, of the direct current supply and applies this voltage to the indexing motor 49 via the contacts of latching relay 26. Motor 49 makes a onestep advance in response to reversal of contact 21 just as in the case of advance contact 46.

The stepwise sequence of one-column advances of cardholding frame 12a and of supply-selector switch contact 109 continue automatically. At each step the stitching head 10b operates after the described null-seeking servo adjustment is complete or, if the next selected signal source is below the set threshold level, the wire stitcher is idle and a column-skipping operation occurs promptly. After the 60-column card is thus complete, limit switch 44 is closed by frame 12a. Latching relay 43 is reversed, to assume the illustrated condition. Stepping motor 49 has 60 Hz. power applied in a manner to produce high-speed return travel of cardholder 12a. During the return travel of the card holding frame, the wire stitcher 10 is locked out by relay 26, and clincher 10a is retracted. When the Out" position is reached, limit-switch 45 is closed by card-holding frame 12a, and frame 12a, and interlock relay 43 is energized through normally closed Start" switch 118. The whole apparatus is locked with the card-holding frame at the No. 1 card column. The completed card having been removed, a blank card being inserted, and a new complement of voltages becoming available at sources 105, the apparatus is ready for a new cardmaking sequence. This is initiated by depressing Start switch 118.

The forgoing provides a detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention in its various aspects, but there are many modifications and many varied applications of the novel features that will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention should be construed broadly in accordance with its full spirit and scope. What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in plural parallel columns of a card at positions in their respective columns representing respective signal magnitudes, said apparatus including input signal selector means for selectively providing any one of a plurality of signals to be represented on the cards, card-locating means, a cyclically operable machine having a head related to said card-locating means for providing a card with control elements, advancing means for aligning said head and successive columns of a card held by said locating means and for controlling the input signal selection of said signal selector means in coordination with the card column aligned with said head, means for adjusting the relative position of said head and a card held by said locating means along a column of the card, servocontrol means responsive to an individual signal from said signal selector means and to said relative-position-adjusting means for controlling the adjusting means to establish a relative position of said card and said head along a column of the card so as to represent the magnitude of said individual signal, and sequencing means operative in response to the establishment of said magnituderepresenting relative position of said head and said card for initiating operation of said cyclically operable machine to cause said head to apply a control element in a column of said card and for initiating operation of said advancing means to align a succeeding column of the card and said head and to operate said input signal selector means to select a succeeding input signal.

2. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 1, wherein said card-locating means is movable by said advancing means for detennining the column of the card at which said head is operable.

3. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 1, wherein said control-element-providing head is operable at a fixed location and wherein said card-locating means includes a cardholder bodily displaceable by both said advancing means and said adjusting means in relation to said head in mutually crossing directions across and along the card columns.

4. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 3, wherein said input signal selector means includes a selector switch having contacts at spaced locations corresponding to the distribution of the card columns and having a selector contact operable by said advancing means coordinately with said cardholder.

5. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 1, further including means providing a threshold signal representing the minimum significant input signal magnitude, means for comparing the threshold signal with a signal selected by the input signal selector means, and means responsive to the comparing means in the event that an input signal is selected whose magnitude is below the threshold signal for causing said advancing means to align said head and another column of the card and for causing the signal selector means to apply another input signal both to said servocontrol means and to said comparing means.

6. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said input signals includes at least a train of half-waves of an alternating current voltage, and wherein said servocontrol means includes 11 means for providing a feedback signal including at least a train of halfgwaves of an alternating-current voltage of the some frequency and substantially the same phase as the input-signal half-waves and of a magnitude representing the relative position along a column of said card and said control-elementproviding head, and peak-responsive means for comparing the feedback signal and a signal from the input signal selector means, said comparing means controlling said adjusting means.

7. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 6, including means providing a threshold signal including at least a train of half-waves of alternating -current voltage of the same frequency and substantially the same phase as the input-signal half-waves and whose amplitude represents the minimum significant input signal magnitude, peak-responsive means for comparing the threshold signal and the signal selected by the input signal selector means, and means responsive to the threshold signal comparing means in the event that an input signal is selected whose magnitude is below the threshold signal for causing said advancing means to align said head and another column of the card and for causing the signal selector means to apply another input signal both to said servocontrol means and to said threshold-signal-comparing means.

8. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 1, wherein said servocontrol means includes a null detector operative in its null condition to alternating-current the establishment of said adjustment, said null detector comprising a pair of solid-state switching devices having a conductive state and a blocked state and being adapted same be switched ofi by a control potential of one level and switched on by an appreciably different controlpotential level, the potentials at which said switching devices are switched from one of said states to the other being slightly different and the null detector being in the null condition when one of said devices is off and the other of said devices is on, feedback means providing a signal representing the relative adjustment of said card and said head, control connections from said feedback means and the signal selector means to apply the difference between the signals therefrom to said solid-state switching devices, and means coordinated with said sequencing means for applying a control potential to both said solid-state switching devices effective to establish the same state therein before the servocontrol means becomes responsive to a signal from said signal selector means.

9. Apparatus for providing a card with successive control elements in respective columns of the card at positions that represent the magnitudes of respective input signals, said apparatus including means for selecting input signals successively, means including a head for providing said card with control elements, means including servocontrol means responsive to a selected input signal for adjusting the relative positions of said card and said head to represent successive input signal magnitudes individually, said servocontrol means including a null detector operative in its null condition to indicate the establishment of said adjustment, said null detector comprising a pair of solid-state switching devices having a conductive state and a blocked state and being adapted to be switched off by a control potential of one level and switched on by an appreciably different control-potential level, the potentials at which said switching devices are switched from one of said states to the other being slightly different and the null detector being in the null condition when one of said devices is off and the other of said devices is on, feedback means providing a signal representing the relative adjustment of said card and said head, control connections from said feedback means and the signal selector means to apply the difference between the signals therefrom to said solid-state switching devices, and means coordinated with said sequencing means for applying a control potential to both said solid-state switching devices effective to establish the same state therein that prevails before the servocontrol means becomes responsive to a signal from said si al selector means.

l0. pparatus for applying wire stitches to a control card in plural parallel columns of the card at positions in their respective columns of the card at positions in the respective columns representing respective signal magnitudes, said apparatus including input signal selector means for providing a plurality of signals to be represented on said card,

a card-holding frame adapted to expose opposite faces of the area of the card occupied by said columns,

a cyclically operable wire stitcher having a stitching head operable at a fixed location and cooperable with the exposed area of a card in the card-holding frame to apply wire stitches thereto,

means for advancing said card-holding frame stepwise in a first direction crossing the columns of the card to align successive columns of a card with said wire-stitching head and for advancing said input signal selector to select successive input signals,

means for adjusting said card-holding frame in a second direction along the columns of a card to locate any desired part of a card column at said wire-stitching head,

servocontrol means responsive to an individual input signal from said signal selector means for controlling the frameadjusting means to establish a position of a card column in relation to said wire-stitching head to represent the magnitude of said individual input-signal,

and sequencing means responsive to said servocontrol means when said signal magnitude representing position is established for initiating an operation of said said stitching head and thereafter for initiating an operation of said stepwise advancing means to align the next card column with the stitching head and for advancing the input signal selector to apply another input signal to said servocontrol means. 

1. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in plural parallel columns of a card at positions in their respective columns representing respective signal magnitudes, said apparatus including input signal selector means for selectively providing any one of a plurality of signals to be represented on the cards, card-locating means, a cyclically operable machine having a head related to said card-locating means for providing a card with control elements, advancing means for aligning said head and successive columns of a card held by said locating means and for controlling the input signal selection of said signal selector means in coordination with the card column aligned with said head, means for adjusting the relative position of said head and a card held by said locating means along a column of the card, servocontrol means responsive to an individual signal from said signal selector means and to said relative-position-adjusting means for controlling the adjusting means to establish a relative position of said card and said head along a column of the card so as to represent the magnitude of said individual signal, and sequencing means operative in response to the establishment of said magnituderepresenting relative position of said head and said card for initiating operation of said cyclically operable machine to cause said head to apply a control element in a column of said card and for initiating operation of said advancing means to align a succeeding column of the card and said head and to operate said input signal selector means to select a succeeding input signal.
 2. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 1, wherein said card-locating means is movable by said advancing means for determining the column of the card at which said head is operable.
 3. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 1, wherein said control-element-providing head is operable at a fixed location and wherein said card-locating means includes a cardholder bodily displaceable by both said advancing means and said adjusting means in relation to said head in mutually crossing directions across and along the card columns.
 4. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 3, wherein said input signal selector means includes a selector switch having contacts at spaced locations corresponding to the distribution of the card columns and having a selector contact operable by said advancing means coordinately with said cardholder.
 5. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 1, further including means providing a threshold signal representing the minimum significant input signal magnitude, means for comparing the threshold signal with a signal selected by the input signal selector means, and means responsive to the comparing means in the event that an input signal is selected whose magnitude is below the threshold signal for causing said advancing means to align said head and another column of the card and for causing the signal selector means to apply another input signal both to said servocontrol means and to said comparing means.
 6. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said input signals includes at least a train of half-waves of an alternating current voltage, and wherein said servocontrol means includes means for providing a feedback signal including at least a train of half-waves of an alternating-current voltage of the some frequency and substantially the same phase as the input-signal half-waves and of a magnitude representing the relative position along a column of said card and said control-element-providing head, and peak-responsive means for comparing the feedback signal and a signal from the input signal selector means, said comparing means controlling said adjusting means.
 7. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 6, including means providing a threshold signal including at least a train of half-waves of alternating-current voltage of the same frequency and substantially the same phase as the input-signal half-waves and whose amplitude represents the minimum significant input signal magnitude, peak-responsive means for comparing the threshold signal and the signal selected by the input signal selector means, and means responsive to the threshold signal comparing means in the event that an input signal is selected whose magnitude is below the threshold signal for causing said advancing means to align said head and another column of the card and for causing the signal selector means to apply another input signal both to said servocontrol means and to said threshold-signal-comparing means.
 8. Apparatus for providing a control card with control elements in accordance with claim 1, wherein said servocontrol means includes a null detector operative in its null condition to alternating-current the establishment of said adjustment, said null detector comprising a pair of solid-state switching devices having a conductive state and a blocked state and being adapted same be switched off by a control potential of one level and switched on by an appreciably different control-potential level, the potentials at which said switching devices are switched from one of said states to the other being slightly different and the null detector being in the null condition when one of said devices is off and the other of said devices is on, feedback means providing a signal representing tHe relative adjustment of said card and said head, control connections from said feedback means and the signal selector means to apply the difference between the signals therefrom to said solid-state switching devices, and means coordinated with said sequencing means for applying a control potential to both said solid-state switching devices effective to establish the same state therein before the servocontrol means becomes responsive to a signal from said signal selector means.
 9. Apparatus for providing a card with successive control elements in respective columns of the card at positions that represent the magnitudes of respective input signals, said apparatus including means for selecting input signals successively, means including a head for providing said card with control elements, means including servocontrol means responsive to a selected input signal for adjusting the relative positions of said card and said head to represent successive input signal magnitudes individually, said servocontrol means including a null detector operative in its null condition to indicate the establishment of said adjustment, said null detector comprising a pair of solid-state switching devices having a conductive state and a blocked state and being adapted to be switched off by a control potential of one level and switched on by an appreciably different control-potential level, the potentials at which said switching devices are switched from one of said states to the other being slightly different and the null detector being in the null condition when one of said devices is off and the other of said devices is on, feedback means providing a signal representing the relative adjustment of said card and said head, control connections from said feedback means and the signal selector means to apply the difference between the signals therefrom to said solid-state switching devices, and means coordinated with said sequencing means for applying a control potential to both said solid-state switching devices effective to establish the same state therein that prevails before the servocontrol means becomes responsive to a signal from said signal selector means.
 10. Apparatus for applying wire stitches to a control card in plural parallel columns of the card at positions in their respective columns of the card at positions in the respective columns representing respective signal magnitudes, said apparatus including input signal selector means for providing a plurality of signals to be represented on said card, a card-holding frame adapted to expose opposite faces of the area of the card occupied by said columns, a cyclically operable wire stitcher having a stitching head operable at a fixed location and cooperable with the exposed area of a card in the card-holding frame to apply wire stitches thereto, means for advancing said card-holding frame stepwise in a first direction crossing the columns of the card to align successive columns of a card with said wire-stitching head and for advancing said input signal selector to select successive input signals, means for adjusting said card-holding frame in a second direction along the columns of a card to locate any desired part of a card column at said wire-stitching head, servocontrol means responsive to an individual input signal from said signal selector means for controlling the frame-adjusting means to establish a position of a card column in relation to said wire-stitching head to represent the magnitude of said individual input-signal, and sequencing means responsive to said servocontrol means when said signal magnitude representing position is established for initiating an operation of said said stitching head and thereafter for initiating an operation of said stepwise advancing means to align the next card column with the stitching head and for advancing the input signal selector to apply another input signal to said servocontrol means. 